Dynamic Logic (Foundations of Computing) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Dexter Kozen (Author), Jerzy Tiuryn (Author) "The integers, the rational numbers, and the real numbers are denoted Z, Q, and R, respectively..." (more)
Key Phrases: wildcard assignment, unwind property, loop invariance rule, Dynamic Logic, Hoare Logic, Proof Let (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Among the many approaches to formal reasoning about programs, Dynamic Logic enjoys the singular advantage of being strongly related to classical logic. Its variants constitute natural generalizations and extensions of classical formalisms. For example, Propositional Dynamic Logic (PDL) can be described as a blend of three complementary classical ingredients: propositional calculus, modal logic, and the algebra of regular events. In First-Order Dynamic Logic (DL), the propositional calculus is replaced by classical first-order predicate calculus. Dynamic Logic is a system of remarkable unity that is theoretically rich as well as of practical value. It can be used for formalizing correctness specifications and proving rigorously that those specifications are met by a particular program. Other uses include determining the equivalence of programs, comparing the expressive power of various programming constructs, and synthesizing programs from specifications. This book provides the first comprehensive introduction to Dynamic Logic. It is divided into three parts. The first part reviews the appropriate fundamental concepts of logic and computability theory and can stand alone as an introduction to these topics. The second part discusses PDL and its variants, and the third part discusses DL and its variants. Examples are provided throughout, and exercises and a short historical section are included at the end of each chapter.

About the Author

David Harel is the William Sussman Professor of Mathematics and Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. Dexter Kozen is the Joseph Newton Pew, Jr., Professor of Engineering in the Department of Computer Science at Cornell University. Jerzy Tiuryn is Professor and Head of the Applied Logic Group in the Division of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics at Warsaw University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 450 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 1st edition (October 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262082896
• ISBN-13: 978-0262082891
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,473,356 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From a Software Engineer at Raytheon, July 9, 2003

By	S. Wuest (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Background: M.S. in C.S. and A.I.

Positive Points

1. The MIT Press is putting out texts on formal logic
2. Dynamic Logic has all the building blocks to reason formally
about computer algorithms
3. The book shows how extensions of logic (such as modal, or
temporal) can be built on a foundation of formal logic.

How shall I say this? I am still shocked within the circles of
software engineering, to run into Masters degrees who don't even
know one complete notation system for formal logic. The ability
to produce formal proofs of validity, is a very basic ability
for a programmer creating complex algorithms. The European Union
seems a little bit ahead of North American programmers, in this
respect.

And programmers who do not know any notations of formal logic,
probably will never have studied computer algorithms for
automated reasoning. (And will probably be abysmally ignorant
of the classes of intractable problems associated with automated

reasoning.)

The situation among "hard" engineers (as opposed to software
engineers) seems to be worse (which is why I laud MIT putting
out introductory books on logic). Almost every week I run into
engineers who cannot understand that formal logic and mathematics
are not the same thing. More precisely, that one can have a
complete, valid, consistent system of logic, without a number
system.

I am happy that the big engineering schools are becoming
conscious that an ignorance of formal logic is a serious flaw
in hard and soft engineers. The next difficulty follows logically:
engineers discover the power of formal logic to
reason about reality far beyond what can be accurately described
by analytic mathematical methods (currently). And they want to
immediately implement automated reasoning software, without
knowing anything about the nature of THAT problem. We need more
books on software algorithms, for extensions of formal logic.
And that is NOT this book. This book is an appetizer.